Congress votes to expand borrowing authority for Sandy flood claims

Piles of debris line portions of Route 35, the main highway through the shore in Toms River N.J. Friday, Jan. 4, 2012. Congress voted to approve aid for victims of Superstorm Sandy, but many shore residents were angry it took lawmakers so long to act following the Oct. 29 storm.

Elected officials in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut had assailed House Speaker John Boehner for not allowing a vote Tuesday night on additional funding for people affected by last October’s storm. Friday’s vote was a prelude to another vote on Jan. 15 to make additional outlays to cities, towns and property owners affected by the storm.